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For some time now we have been saying that graphics card manufacturer 3dfx were a ripe target for a take-over, but that didn't make the shock any less when a press release optimistically titled "3DFX Announces Three Major Initiatives to Protect Creditors and Maximize Shareholder Value" turned out to be an announcement of the company's demise.

Videologic's DigiTheatre speakers have already proven a hit with gamers and DVD fans alike, providing surround sound for the PC and DVD players, and earning an impressive 8/10 rating from our own reviewers in the process. Now they are being made available at just shy of £250 for the PlayStation 2, complete with Dolby Digital decoder and remote control. Meanwhile the even higher spec DigiTheatre DTS 5.1 speaker system is also being approved for use with Sony's new console, costing around £400 and coming with a powerful multi-channel amplifier and a full set of six speakers. For all the details, check the press release.

Yesterday marked the 10th anniversary of the release of the first shareware episode of "Commander Keen : Invasion of the Vorticons", the debut game from id Software, later to find fame and fortune as the developers of first person shooters such as "Doom" and "Quake". And today id CEO Todd Hollenshead gave a hint that the classic platform game series may not be dead, saying to "look for upcoming new Keen news in the not too distant future".

It seems that unlike with 1.25, Id has had NDA'd SDK packs with mod developers for quite some time. Patches released today include those for Quake III Requiem and Rocket Arena III. RA3 in particular has been highly anticipated. 1.27g looks like it's going to prove quite popular, although leading server providers Wireplay are claiming that they will not be changing their servers over to 1.27g until Monday. Download locations for the new mod updates can be found below. Requiem 1.00

Relatively speaking, demo discs are something new to console fans. In the last twenty years, most mainstream computer magazines have taken to providing some sort of disk media with demonstration versions of software on, but thanks to the reliance on cartridge based games from companies like Nintendo, it's been very hard for owners of consoles to get demo versions of anything. Which is why, at this stage, most of the console magazine demo discs are laborious to navigate and relatively low on content. However, professional demo discs are something else. Look at the disc released with the PS2 (or even with the Dreamcast), and consider how well done that was. But in truth, what we really like are single-use demos. Short versions of games made by the developers themselves and used in trade shows and whatnot. Stuff like the Metal Gear Solid 2 rolling demo that stunned crowds at ECTS, and the Ridge Racer Revolution demo disc packaged with Ridge Racer Type 4 on the PSX. These people know what they're doing. And that's one of the reasons that this latest Konami announcement has got a lot of people hot under the collar with anticipation. We all know that the phenomenal MGS2 will hit sometime late next year, but according to Konami, Hideo Kojima's other mech combat game, Zone of the Enders (not an Albert Square combat simulation actually) will be released in March and accompanied by a playable demo of MGS2. Now, this signifies two things; the Japanese can look forward to seeing Zone of the Enders sell like hotcakes, and that Konami want to keep everyone frothing at the mouth. It's a very clever strategic move actually - it cements Konami as a major force in the PS2 market without them actually having to release their blockbuster title. Who cares if Enders is any good, it will sell, and people will love MGS2 even more. Result! It's not known just what will be in the demo, but it's thought that it will be a couple of early levels with heavy scripting to help Konami show off. Personally, I can't wait.

Those of you with technical minds will have been absolutely mind-boggled by the Pentium 4 over the last few weeks - the chip design is so irregular that it's throwing current benchmark suites all over the place and making it very hard for them to keep up accurately. And as if this were not enough, Intel have now explained that the original Pentium 4 design was even more lavish! Originally, it seems, the Pentium 4 was going to feature a full megabyte of L3 cache, as well as two separate floating point units, giving the chip a single slow ALU and two faster ALUs to help keep up. But on the 0.18micron fabrication process this was simply not feasible, from both a financial and a practical point of view. They got to the point where power consumption and size were so high that the powers that be leant over and said, look here, it may only be as big as the Pentium Pro core. It's not known whether the Pentium 4 will grow to include these features, but logic dictates that in the same way that the Pentium II and III grew with each new stepping, so will the Pentium 4.

Microsoft's massively multiplayer World War II flight sim "Fighter Ace II" has been updated with a new version, adding 13 more planes to the already impressive line-up on offer, including the Dornier Do217, America's Hellcat, and the British De Havilland Mosquito. Perhaps even more exciting is the addition of two new maps, including one representing the English Channel region for those of you wanting to recreate the Battle of Britain from the comfort of your own home. On top of the major changes, the flight models have also been improved, and weapons have been tweaked to make things more realistic.

Before Quake, before Doom, before even Wolfenstein 3D, id Software made their name with a series of cute platform games starring a kid called Billy Blaze, aka "Commander Keen". Wearing his brother's football helmet, he took on the evil Mortimer McMire and other galactic villains with nothing but a zap gun and a pogo stick. Although the games look incredibly dated by today's standards, back in 1990 they were little short of groundbreaking, bringing smoothly scrolling platform games of the kind seen on Nintendo consoles to the PC for the first time.

After a surprisingly long respite from the flood of patches for id Software's online shooter "Quake 3 Arena", the long-awaited v1.27g patch (or "point release" as they cutely title it) has finally been released. This is the version used in the soon-to-be-released "Team Arena" add-on pack, and will hopefully replace both the official v1.17 patch which most people have been using, and the "beta" patch v1.25, which caused an uproar in the Quake community back in October by changing the fundamental physics and weapons balance of the game almost a year after its release.

Last week we spoke with Bo Andersson, CEO of Swedish games developer GRIN, about the company's origins and the business philosophy and methods that have helped them to create their first full game in the space of just six months, something of an achievement in this age of spiralling costs and increasingly complex games.

With the arrival of yet another episode in the continuing adventures of Lara Croft, the words "flogging", "dead" and "horse" spring to mind. In fact that is quite literally the case this time, as the game starts with Lara missing and presumed dead in Egypt. If only...

Narly, dude! When we reviewed SSX for the PlayStation 2, we came to the conclusion that it was the closest thing to a second generation game that the PS2 had at launch. A snowboarding game of great depth and character, and at the moment our favourite game on the console bar none. Well, following on from the news last week that EA Canada have GameCube development hardware comes the news that EA are planning an updated "special edition" version of SSX for the machine. The game is only in the very early stages of development, but "SSX - Special Edition" as it's known internally will be one of the 'Cube's first sports titles. This announcement actually comes as something of a surprise - it was expected that EA would outsource its titles for development, rather like it does for GameBoy and other conversions. Of course all this is just a rumour of sorts that the company will neither confirm nor deny, but that's fairly standard for the company.

Nintendo has claimed that it will produce 24 million GameBoy Advance units during the machine's first year on sale; a whole million in the first ten days, it says. This projection would mean three times as many GBAs would ship next year as PlayStation 2s, something some people are a little sceptical about. But not us; as figures have shown in previous years, the handheld market is ultimately much more lucrative for Nintendo than anything else. The GameBoy Color sold more units combined last year than the whole of the rest of the console market put together, including the N64, PlayStation and Dreamcast, as well as smaller operations like the now defunct Neo Geo Pocket Color. Key component shortages for the GBA have been dogging its development (things like LCD screens and flash memory), but it looks as though those problems are coming to an end. GBA production will begin in earnest early next year, and thanks to its Internet and email options, the console should sell to a much wider market than before. Competitors like the recent Wonderswan Color will no doubt greet this announcement with fear.

Producer Greg Goodrich of Gray Matter Studios (the team formerly known as Xatrix) has lifted his head above the parapet to dispel some rumours about the company's forthcoming Quake 3 engined shooter "Return To Castle Wolfenstein". The first thing he wants to make clear is that there will be "lots and lots of Nazis" in the game. "Indeed there will be more Nazis in this game than you can possibly imagine. From the very first second of the game to the very end. You will kill Nazis. Why? Because B.J. hates Nazis. More so than Nick Fury, Captain America, Sgt. Rock and all of his Howling Commandos put together."

It's little surprise then that after solid performances on both the PC and Dreamcast sequel developers BioWare are now opting to develop an enhanced version for the PlayStation 2: MDK2 Armageddon. Unlike the Dreamcast version, Armageddon isn't simply a like-for-like port from PC to console; although it retains all of the original's levels, weapons and enemies, it's been built again form the ground up, with new difficulty settings, Dual Shock enhancements and a smoother control system. Another addition is a helping hand that offers hints when it's quite clear that you have been utterly flummoxed by a puzzle. In an effort also to make the game more approachable to a variety of action gamers, lots of different control configurations will be available, based on the various setups one can concoct on the Dual Shock controller. Elsewhere, the visuals will remain largely the same, although the PS2's graphics engine will allow for richer textures and very little frame loss through the sprawling outdoor sections of the game; no mean feat, that. The quirky characters of the original return, with Max, Dr. Fluke Hawkins and Kurt returning to continue their exploits. In case you missed it, the game invites you to take control of each one of them in different sections, and thanks to their differing weapons and style of movement, the action is quite varied.

Back in the deep and dark mists of time there was a legendary martial arts tournament where karate competitors from all around the world would come to battle for the ultimate prize of achieving the esteemed black belt. All of the action took place within the dojos of the Commodore 64 home computer, where gamers stared at their screens with bloodshot eyes and joystick incurred blisters on their hands.

Microsoft this morning announced that the world's biggest computer games publisher Electronic Arts will be releasing "up to ten titles" for the Xbox within the first six months after its launch next autumn. EA's first run of Xbox games are expected to include "Madden 2001", "SSX" and "Knockout Kings", with the likes of "FIFA 2002", "F1 2002", and pretty much anything else with a "2002" on the end of it probably also in the pipeline.

As is fairly obvious, in order for us to review games at the rate at which we do, we need a lot of support from the publishers. Companies like Eidos, Take2, Virgin, Sega etc, all make our lives easier by supplying games for review well ahead of release so we can get in there and bring you the best coverage we possibly can. However there are one or two companies who aren't quite so eager to help us out - Sony is one of them; we spoke to a representative recently and after a lively conversation we were promptly put onto hold then dropped as soon as we broached the subject. Similarly, Nintendo's UK distribution arm, the John Menzies-backed THE Games has always been completely disinterested in supporting us. That's one of the reasons big games like Mario Tennis have yet to find a home on these pages. Frankly, in the 21st Century with the Internet driving the face of gaming forward, this attitude is archaic and outdated, and one that most publishers have overcome in their efforts to help gain publicity for their software. As you can probably see we do feel strongly about this, but ultimately there is little we can do. Which is why when misogynistic companies like THE decide to close up shop we don't really shed any tears. The peculiar thing here, is that Menzies pulled the plug on THE in a year where it posted operating profits of £5.5m and had net assets of £3.2m (according to The Register). The closure will result in the loss of some 90 jobs and £3m in shutdown costs. Scary stuff. The reason according to Menzies is that the business was too seasonal for its own good, especially compared to such money-grabbers as newspapers and magazines.

If closet alcopops drinkers IGN are to be believed, Sony's parties these days are big, flamboyant and incredibly luxurious, with as much liquor and beer as you can drink - so that's half a pint in their case. Their latest bash in a glitzy studio in Tokyo revealed some 14 titles in development including two totally new games. The newbies included SCEI-developed "Rimococoron", a sort of God game where you meddle with the lives of people in a busy city - we can only assume at this point that it's a God game; Sony claim it defies current generic boundaries. We'll see. The other title announced was "Toro to Kyuujitsu", the first game in the Doco De Mo Isho series. Games on display also included "ZOE", "Metal Gear Solid 2", "Para Para Paradise" and "World Soccer Winning Eleven 5" from Konami, "Onimusha" from Capcom, "Monster Farm" from Tecmo, "Ace Combat 4" (working title) from Namco, as well as "Space Venus Starring Morning Musume" and of course "Gran Turismo 3" from Sony themselves. All the big developmental names were in attendance telling people about their products, and lots was seen of the games in action. Screenshots can be found at IGN.

The role of a professional hired killer isn't a career option open to most of us. The hours are bad, the equipment is expensive, and the blood is a right pain to wash out of your whites. So here comes the Eidos solution for the average Joe; "Hitman : Codename 47", a virtual hitman simulator that allows the rest of us to play out the role of a hired killer without the unfortunate legal and social side effects.

Fellow scooter weenies rejoice! Crave and UbiSoft are set to bring the latest craze in two-wheeled transport to the antique PlayStation in February 2001 with the release of "Freestyle Scooter". Ubisoft proudly claim that this is the "first game ever featuring a scooter", and there's probably a good reason for that. The game will offer you ten different riders to choose from, and customisable scooters for them to tootle along on, with a total of 40 tricks to master as you whizz around the half-pipes, banked corners and other obstacles. Thankfully the game is aiming to be a fun arcade-style knock-about rather than a hardcore sim, as getting a real scooter up anything more than a slight incline is generally more trouble than it's worth, and hitting even the lowest kerb is enough to send you flying across the pavement, which would probably make for a rather dull game...

Although most everyone who owns a PC would frown at the idea of using a console and television to access the Internet, the Dreamcast's net access has been largely successful, evoking lots of public interest in ChuChu Rocket and the downloadable extras in Street Fighter Alpha 3. With many more games looking to take advantage of it (including Skies of Arcadia), it's no surprise that Sony are already courting suitors capable of bringing its new machine into line with the competition. The PS2 doesn't ship with a built-in modem, so this opens up the possibilities for broadband connections and the like a bit more; a possibility AOL seems to be interested in pursuing. The monstrous ISP (most famous for protecting coffee tables these days) is talking to Sony about the possibility of adding online functionality via its worldwide content network. The pitch, one of several Sony has been faced with, could create one of the biggest online monopolies yet. As if the whole Time Warner / AOL thing wasn't impressive enough, this coupling would escalate things tenfold. If Sony restricted access to its PS2 users and no-one on the outside it might come under fire. Microsoft will no doubt be among the first to complain, as its Xbox project gathers steam. Related Feature - The Skies Broaden

Just as Sierra's award-winning first person shooter "Half-Life" spawned half a dozen re-releases such as the Gold, Platinum and Game of the Year editions, so their award-winning golf sim "PGA Championship Golf 2000" is joining the bandwagon with a "Titanium Edition". The new version adds another seven brand new 18 hole courses to the game, as well as improved multiplayer support for if you fancy taking to the virtual fairway with your friends. If you already own the original version of the game the good news is that you can now download a patch to upgrade the multiplayer support from the PGA 2000 website, and the seven new courses are being posted there one at a time as well, with the first two already available for download.

Really good RPGs have a tendancy to endear you to their characters, and to create an entire world of opportunities to find adventure with them. Sadly though, all good things do come to an end, and with my old favourite Final Fantasy VII, they did so within a week. I emerged with a feeling of emptiness and experience more than one of victory and achievement though, and I would have given up the four sodding hours it took me to overcome Sephiroth for a couple of new continents to explore and adventure upon with my party; for some distant lost realm to emerge for us to go to - I just wanted to know more, to see more, to do more, and yet there was nothing. Which is why all things considered RPG-makers of the highest calibre are now investigating ways of keeping the obsessives happy, and making sure than when the game itself is over, the adventure need not be. Skies of Arcadia is Sega's latest Dreamcast RPG, and quite a cracker it is too. It's not out yet over here, but nonetheless some of our more enthusiastic staff writers have imported copies burning away in their Dreamcasts - I can't blame them. Fans of the game in America who have now finished the game though, will no doubt be thrilled to discover that although their journey is over, they haven't quite uncovered everything; and won't have for some time. Why? Because in their genius, Sega are now offering VMU downloads via the Dreamcast's online access to extend the game world! There are two downloads available already, with a third planned for today when the world awakes across the pond. The first section is said to allow access to Hamachou Island, which harbours many treasures including the last Cham, and a little creature that spouts extra game stats - one for the enthusiast that. The other download available grants access to the Giant Looper airship battle on the North Frontier. The third is expected to reveal a new weapon, or perhaps even a character. As you may remember, Street Fighter Alpha 3 offered extensive downloadable extras to increase its longevity, but at the moment, it and Skies of Arcadia seem to be some of very few.

Five years have elapsed since Major Archer witnessed the terrifying battle against the alien breed known as the Xenomes. Owing to the General's untimely departure during the war, Archer was put in charge of the Gunmen; a group of soldiers looking like something from the US colonial wars. Now the Xenomes are back in force, only this time there appears to be someone calling the shots.

If you though that PlayStation 2 madness was over, think again - apparently a new util called PS2Finder is playing havoc with online stores selling the console. As the name suggests, the tool automatically searches e-tail sites for the PlayStation 2, often hitting a particular site every thirty seconds for hours on end to make sure that if some stock miraculously appears the user doesn't miss out on it in the ensuing stampede, which usually sees the consoles vanishing within minutes of them being offered for sale. One relatively obscure online store called BlueLight reported getting 80,000 visits from the bot in the space of a few minutes, and even larger stores such as Amazon are finding their bandwidth soaked up by constant requests from users of the program and others like it. It's a crazy world...

As if the Japanese didn't have it good enough with handhelds, they now have another contender, the Wonderswan Color, to consider. The machine launched on Saturday in Japan with strong pre-sales; Bandai project sales at around the 600,000 mark before the end of the year. Of course there's no news of a European or American launch, but if we're lucky some clever fellow will begin importing them sooner or later. Pictures of the machine can be found on IGN.

Christmas bonuses and hardware upgrades. If, like me, you group the two together in their own little spending bracket, then the chances are that amongst the things you will be picking up this Yuletide season are new parts for your beloved PC. However, unless you are overburdened with time you may not be aware of just what your options are this year, and that, dear reader, is one thing we can put right...

Before Unreal Tournament and Quake 3 Arena were even a twinkle in a game designer's eyes, Dynamix released "Starsiege Tribes", a multiplayer-only first person shooter which was focused on teamplay and vast open maps. With a more strategic feel than most shooters of the time, the game soon became a cult-favourite with a hardcore online following.

- Luc Besson Producer - Luc Besson / François Ruggieri / Louis Duchesne Starring -   Christophe Lambert   Isabelle Adjani   Richard Bohringer   Jean Reno Filmed - France, 1985 DVD by - Gaumont